Most Fragrant Flowers According to Gardeners

Find out which are the most fragrant flowers in this article.

We love pleasant odors and flowers are the liveliest source of them. So, what are the most fragrant flowers?

On this, we did a small survey asking 3000+ gardeners of more than 20 countries on major social media platforms and noted their opinions. They voted for most fragrant flowers according to them, and we short-listed 23 best and arranged them all rank wise here.

23. Scented Primrose

Grows widely in Europe, primrose comes in colorful flowers with beautiful foliage and emanates mild fruity aroma. They herald the arrival of spring especially in the evening time when the breeze sweeps through them. It’s an easy to maintain plant. Good for container gardens

22. Plumeria

Also called Frangipani, plumeria is a subtropical or tropical flower related to oleander. Its flowers are softly fragrant in the daytime and intensify at night. The other names are yasmin & champa.

21. Sweet autumn clematis

In the late summer to autumn, its perfumed white flowers bloom in clusters and give it a silvery appearance. Heavenly fragrance oozes out from them like talcum powder and spread a soft coolness all around.

20. Ylang-Ylang (Cananga Odorata)

Pronounced as (eelang-eelang) it is native to rainforests of Asia and Australia, perfect for Zone 10-11. It is also called perfume tree, blooms profusely year round, pouring exotic fragrance to the far long distances. If you are living in a tropical region, grow this.

19. Nicotiana

We call it Tobacco flower, nicotiana is native to North and South America. Its small tubular flowers opens in noon and ooze out lily-like odor intensely in the dusk.

18. Lily of the Valley

Lily of the valley grows in USDA Zones 2-9 and blooms in spring. It has a cute bell-like white or pale, pink flowers that spread their fragrance in the whole area. It prefers moist soil. It is a low growing plant so good for ground cover.

17. Viburnum

Beautiful foliage and perfume, viburnums are excellent fragrant flowers, especially their ‘Korean spice’ variety that blooms in cluster of white fluffy flowers in spring and summer.

16. Tuberose

Rajnigandha is its local name in India. Its seductive odor captures the warmth of mid-summer. The tube-like blossoms appear in hot tropical spring and summer. It can also be grown as annual in colder parts.

15. Osmanthus fragrans

Native to China, Japan & Cambodia, orange osmanthus flowers carry a sweet apricot-like odor. It’s also called Kinmokusei, grown popularly in patios and yards and sidewalks in Japan. Some Japanese gardeners suggest this exotic small tree.

14. Mock Orange

It’s a cold weather plant suitable in USDA Zone 4-7. Blooms in summer, mock orange flowers emanate a pleasant orange like odor that is refreshing like mint, those who have it in their garden knows how elegant its fragrance is.

13. Lilac

Blooms in spring and summer in Europe & America, lilacs are excellent cut flowers, with their arousing perfume that churns the memories they are in our list. You can also grow this in containers as many hybrid varieties are now available.

12. Brugmansia

Gardeners often intermix it with Datura, but both are different species. Brugmansia is also called Angel’s trumpet for its trumpet-like creamy-orange flowers that erupts a patch of erotic aroma on the onset of dusk. It’s hardy in zone 9-12 and needs dry & hot climate, but can be planted in colder regions with some care.

11. Daphne

With its alluring fragrance, this flower is a favorite of the perfume industry. Also called as ‘jinchoge’ in Japanese, it is native to Korea and Japan. Not many gardeners grow Daphne because the care it needs. It’s a winter plant, loves coolness. It blooms for a short time in February and March.

10. Night scented stocks

A plant that engenders memories through its scent. Stocks with its intoxicating perfume like lily are the best choice in fragrant gardens of cold climate. Its mild fragrance blends lightly in surroundings in the evening. Stocks can be grown in summers in colder regions and winters, in tropics.

9. Michelia Champaca

It belongs to Magnolia family, its beautiful cream-colored flowers mix of deep grape and banana like fragrance, sweet that much that when you inhale it; it cools down your breath. It’s native to Himalayan ranges of South-East Asia, blooms year-round in a tropical and subtropical climate. It can tolerate minimum temperature up to 30F. *World’s most expensive perfumes are made from it.

8. Sampaguita or Jasminum Sambac

It is the national flower of Philippines, also called as Arabian Jasmine & mogra. It is native to South-East Asia, blooms in hot summer. Its strong fragrance is different than jasmine, like vanilla. Sweet most in all the flowers, if you live in tropics, it’s a must grow. *Many hybrids are available for cooler regions.

7. Stargazer Lily

Grows in partial shade, it looks like gazing at stars in the night. All lilies are aromatic, but this hybrid variety is most fragrant in all. Its sensual and slightly spicy scent is addictive to fall in love with.

6. Honeysuckle

It comes in many varieties that thrive everywhere, a very popular flower among those who love fragrant plants. Honeysuckle vine can reach a good height (up to 40 feet), loves the warm environment. Its cluster of tiny flowers erupts inviting fruity smell like vanilla & honey that always be noticed.

5. Rose

No such lists are possible without fragrant roses. Loveliest of all the flowers and popular, everyone who loves the scent, should grow them.

4. Freesia

Native to South Africa, many European gardeners voted for freesias. Because of their charming & fruity scent— a fragrance like an altar wine, innocent & pleasing for senses. *Choose freesias in white or yellow color (most fragrant).

3. Hyacinth

Cluster of flowers in colors of red, white, blue and more, hyacinths are appealing for eyes and their fragrance resembles a combination of strawberry and honeysuckle soothing for nostrils. They prefer cold climate and tough to grow in tropics.

2. Jasmine

Whether it’s a night blooming jasmine or queen of the night or poet’s jasmine or any other variety, it’s true that Jasmines are the most fragrant flowers in the world. An overpowering perfume that so many people dislike them, the fragrance can be smelt from far beyond it. *Jasmine’s fragrance oil used in aromatherapy.

1. Gardenia

Our winner, almost 30% gardeners voted for Gardenia. There are three reasons for it:

It grows everywhere, in cold or in tropics.

Its big milky white flowers like flap of petals in roses looks so beautiful and their magical odor, which is not as overpowering as jasmine.

Its fragrance that blends in its surroundings like a part of it.

*Gardenia becomes most powerful during the rain, when wet wind blows through its creamy flowers and comes out with a lustful scent.

32 COMMENTS

only thing i can say is you never drove or walked by honeysuckle blooming it would be one on list you can smell it a mile away ~!and magnolia i know it’s a tree,but it would have to be one or two,this tree in proper bloom is awesome.

I totally agree. It is my very favourite – the night scented cestrum. It always has been, and always will be, my number one shrub; it has a fragrance which, when flowering, seeps through your home after dark, all through the night, but is gone by daylight. It is overlooked as the flower close during the day, and is totally insignificant. I feel it has been overlooked as ‘gardeners’ have not discovered this shrub.

My absolute favorite is the Pakalana from Hawaii, which is a vine that has small clusters of tiny flowers, and one or two small flowers will scent an entire yard during a still night. It is an airy fragrance like Lily of the Valley, but with a light Jasmine, Freesia like nuance. Very difficult to find, but once you get a clipping, it grows rapidly and is strong. My second favorite is the Yellow Oleander, with an airy, perfume like quality. I can actually imagine it alone being used as a single note perfume as is, that is how airy and aromatic it is without being heady. I could intoxicate myself with either of those all day.

THEY ARE ALL WRONG… The most fragrantly diverse and one of the most pungent is probably CANNABIS. which contains over 100 different turpenes, lemonenes, red fruits, resins, peppers, sage scents, banna pineapple etc… bv 100 different ones!!! which makes cannabis the most aromatically complex plant, for volatile essential oils…. it is also fairly productive.

Here in The Philippines one of my favorite flowers was ALAS SUERTE, the color of its petal are white, a size of Star Gazer Lily. It only blooms once in a year at about 11 pm only and close it petal at dawn. Its scent of this flower was very aromatic as when you smell it you felt that you were enchanted. Actually, you can see the pics on my FB wall.

Lady of the night otherwise known as ” dama de noche” is the most frangrant flower. It only opens up at night . You don’t have to go near the plant to smell the fragrance unlike other fragrant flowers you have to have your nose few inches from the flower to smell it. Guess gardeners who have voted did discover this flower yet

I’d like to add wisteria, I had this huge bush of it in my backyard when growing up. I’d sit in the middle and just breathe it all in… It had this lovely candle-like aroma which I’ve always enjoyed. Such a beautiful flower too! ^_^ Anyway, that would be my favorite one with Gardenia or Jasmine.

Thank you for the article. Natural fragrance from flowers. Good to plant them spread them. I love all of them. I live in Zone 7. I tried to plant gardenia s o far no success but I will try again. Both Gardenia and Jasmine. I have indoor very strong.

The strongest aroma I have experienced from flowers is the night blooming Sirius until now it has been surpassed by this little shrub that I found in my garden ,if you crush a leaf the fragance stays with you for days and you can still smell it after washing your hands many times with soap,the night blooming Sirius blooms one night per blooming season and the aroma permeates the whole house but this little shrub has tiny Daisy looking flowers with white petals and a yellow center you only notice the aroma after crushing the leaves or the flowers.

My mother would wax poetic everytime she remembered the smell of a Tuberose plant she had the pleasure of enjoying as some time in her life. I had never seen one, though the grow well in our area. On day, in an local dept store garden area, I smelled this heavenly fragrance and just HAD to find where it came from. I searched the entire department being led by my nose. As I searched, my mom’s description of Tuberose came to my remembrance. Sure enough, there were 2 pots of Tuberose in the far reaches of the garden shop and I bought them both. They bloom well and multiply well each year in the CA Central Valley, blooming from mid July into Sept when other flowers are dying out from out hot summer heat. Lovely, lovely flowers.